Idli

Soft Fluffy Idlis




Ingredients
Urad dal - 1 cup,
idly rava - 2 cups,
fenugreek seeds - 1tbsp,
salt - to taste.

Instructions

1. Wash the urad dal in two changes of water and soak the dal and fenugreek seeds in water for at least 4 hrs. 
2. In a separate bowl, soak idli rava in water for atleast half an hour.
3. Drain water from the soaked urad dal and place half of the soaked dal in the mixer grinder and add few tbsps of urad dal soaked water. Grind the urad dal.
4. During the grinding process, keep adding a few tbsps of the water and continue grinding. 
5. Add the cooked rice while grinding.(optional)
6. Grind till it is soft and fluffy. Feel the batter between your fingers and it should be super soft on touch. If it is coarse, continue to grind it till you achieve a smooth batter that is not too thick nor too thin. 
7. Remove the ground batter to a large stainless steel vessel as the batter will increase by 50% of the original volume on fermentation.
8. Squeeze water from the soaked rice rava and add it to the ground urad dal batter and use your hand to mix. The urad dal batter and idli rava should mix well. Once mixed, place lid.
9. Place the mixture in a warm place for 8-10 hours or overnight to let the idli batter ferment. The fermentation is slow in winter and quick during summer. The key to soft and fluffy idlis is in the fermentation process.
10. After 8 hours you will find that the mixture will rise to 50% of the original volume. Add salt and mix gently with a ladle. Do not over beat. The batter is now ready to make idlis.
11. Pour 1 1/2 to 2 cups of water to the idli maker or pressure cooker and place the idli stand in it. Turn on flame and heat the water to almost boiling point. While the water is heating, wash the idli plates and lightly grease them with oil.
12. Spoon the idli batter using a small ladle. Do not add too much batter as it will increase in volume on steaming. Place the idli stand in the idli steamer and place lid. Do not use the cooker weight if you are using a pressure cooker. Steam on medium high for 12-15 mts and turn off flame. Do not open lid for 8-10 mts after turning off the flame.
13. Remove the lid and the idli stand from the idli maker. Wet a spatula or a knife and carefully remove each idli and place in a bowl.
14. Place steamed idlis in a bowl and serve with sambar, chutney and podi of your choice.
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